A day after the chief priest of Madhya Pradesh’s Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, kicked up a row in West Bengal by appealing to people not to cook or eat fish or meat during Durga Puja festivities, describing those who do so as “pakhandi (fraud)”, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said no one can prescribe what people should eat or wear.
“On Ashtami (the eighth day of festivities), Bengalis eat luchi, and on Navami, Bengalis eat mutton. So, they will keep eating that,” Bhattacharya said, adding, “Whether to give importance or not to any statement, whether Bengalis will give importance to his words or not is entirely a matter for Bengalis to decide. There is no politics involved in this.”
The state BJP chief emphasised that Shastri’s remarks were his own views. “Right now, campaigns promoting vegetarianism are held. Many doctors are also saying it. But what you eat at home, will a sadhu determine that? Will a political party decide that? Bengalis will eat what they always have. Will Bengalis not eat fish? Will Bengalis not eat meat? Even Swami Vivekananda approved of this and who stands above him? The Goddess Kali here consumes mutton. I haven’t found anyone greater than Swami Vivekananda yet. If someone suddenly rises above him, that’s dangerous. So, there is no question of accepting such ideas. This is his opinion,” Bhattacharya said.
The BJP leader said Shastri was a highly respected figure and “enjoys massive popularity” across the country. “He has made an appeal. He has every right to do so. You can make an appeal too. Don’t people make appeals to leave drugs? … If you start eating fatty mutton every day, is that good for your health? Think about it. However, regarding what he said, there is no need for any controversy. As I say, let us remain as we are. Let me be as I am.”
On Sunday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and his entire Cabinet hosted Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, for dinner at a state-run guesthouse in Kolkata.
Following Shastri’s comments, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released a statement targeting the BJP and the government. “Bageshwar Baba was given a grand welcome by Suvendu Adhikari. Then, in Bengal, he called for banning non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. Is this the BJP’s plan to take fish and meat off Bengali plates? Is that why restaurants face raids before Puja? Bengal will resist,” it said.
State Congress president Subhankar Sarkar accused the BJP of insulting the people of Bengal. “It is evident that they don’t have control of Bengal locally; the remote is in Delhi’s hands. Who is Dhirendra Shastri? Why is he being given such importance? This is nothing but the actual nature of the BJP. It always speaks in this language,” he told The Indian Express.
“Why should people do that (follow Shastri’s appeal)? If the government runs with the intention to appease someone, it is not good for society,” said CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty.
